Live from gamescom: PlayStation 3 Now $249

I have some exciting news to share with you today. As many of you know, it has been nearly five years since the PS3 first came to the U.S. market with its built in Blu-ray player, integrated hard-drive, built-in wireless, and unmatched hi-def gaming. Today, more than 50 million PS3’s have been sold worldwide, more than 2,495 Blu-ray titles are available and the PS3’s expansive portfolio of games and video content on PlayStation Network exceeds 60,000 titles.

While others in the space are losing steam, PlayStation 3 is gaining momentum and giving gamers everywhere more of what they want: an unparalleled line-up of exclusive games and access to the best in sports, movies and TV, all at a great value.

Today, I believe that value becomes even more evident. I’m excited to share with you that effective immediately at retailers throughout North America, the 160 GB PS3 and the 320GB PS3 are now available for $249 and $299, respectively. In addition, a limited edition inFAMOUS 2 bundle is now available at participating retailers across North America. The bundle retails for $299 and includes a 320 GB PlayStation 3, a copy of inFAMOUS 2 and a 30-day membership to PlayStation Plus.

The new price will make the PS3 more accessible than ever before, so there’s never been a better time to join PlayStation Nation. We know that while future-proof technology is important to you, content is still king — that’s why we continue to focus on bringing you exclusive “must have” titles that are unmatched by anything else on the market. With games like Resistance 3, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One and one of my personal favorites, Uncharted 3, all on the horizon, there’s a lot of great entertainment in store for you.

Of course, PS3 owners also have free access to PlayStation Network and its lineup of marquee content services for watching hi-def movies, TV and sporting events. Netflix. Hulu Plus. Vudu. MLB.TV. NHL Gamecenter. We have them all for you…and it just keeps getting better.

We take our commitment to the millions of PlayStation fans out there very seriously. We don’t just want you to be part of the PlayStation Nation, we want you to be proud to be a PS3 owner. We have many exciting things planned for you in the months ahead, but suffice it to say we are hard at work to bring you more of what you want and more of what you expect. Stay tuned, there’s more to come…

Comments

This is great news and should boost sales. Nice to see Sony making a move like this in preparation for the holiday season. Bummer I just bought my PS3 less than a week ago. I don’t really mind paying the $299 price though. Great system and love the exclusive titles.

The PS3 has online features the Xbox 360 lacks, like : Cloud Saving/automatic cloud saving for selected games, Internet Browser, Downloadable content sharing between 5 PS3 accounts (including special coupons and bonus content), PlayStation Home, Life with PlayStation, PlayStation Qore (free Monthly Interactive Magazine to all Plus Subscribers). I could find some more, but I bet you will discard them all as garbage as well.

The Xbox controller easy and comfortable? LMAO. Try playing ANY fighting game. ANY fighting game. There you go. A WHOLE GENRE rendered USELESS for that controller, and that’s a fact. The digital pad sucks, nobody can play a fighting game with that, very different to your particular opinion which only applies to some people, this is a consensus reached by all fighting game players. Xbox D-pad sucks. Also, Bluetooth craps all over crapbox’s controller batteries and its IR signal. And yeah the Xbox triggers are nice, and I agree the controller feels very good in your hands (just as good as the DS3, for me particularly anyway), but I’d rather have my L1/R1 buttons than those “bumpers” that feel like I’m not pressing anything. To each their own, I won’t try to convince you, you don’t have to share other people’s taste.

Wow. Now my sister and friends can stop being cheapskates and buy PS3s. I bought mine back when they were 600, I don’t regret waiting – – Yet sort of wish I did when all these juicy price drops keep appearing. Yet, if I waited, I would have missed out on the GAP and other things.. You win some , you lose some. This post? I’m going to be sharing it people I know.

You actually like the DS3? Honestly speaking there was absolutely nothing wrong with the DS2.
Currently, I’ve gone through 2 360 controllers (the goddamn mic ports and my hori screwed up. You’re right about Fighting games, had to buy a hori to make Blazblue playable) and a DS3s ( the goddamn L2 button snapped off and the little piece holding it together got lost in the rug so now the L1 button falls out.). In this regards, the PS2 controller was the better controller.

Yet, don’t get me wrong. This is just my opinion. We’re all entitled to have different experiences with the same things.

One more thing, don’t feed the troll. Even if they are not trollings – – No point in having a console war argument on the blog. Save that for the actual forum.

@136, you cannot grasp simple english. Most do not care about bluray, there is a reason it is not doing well and DVD is still ruling. Why care about bluray when Digital streaming is so prevalent? Xbox DOES have many good games, and people are fine with that for 199….. Only techies and videophiles care about bluray or bluetooth. Xbox alo has a very good online system and is very social…

coolio, stinks i JUST bought a ps3 160gb…… oh well it never collects dust haha, i hope this makes playstation even more popular, its awesome cause on facebook, playstation has over 6 million more likes than xbox and i have twice as many friends that are playstation fans than friends that are xbox friends, hopefully i can convert my friend, he is living too much in the CoD world which is diminishing

EXCELLENT TIMING! I had made an online request for GameStop to hold a 320GB PS3 for me this Sunday (needing a new PS3 because my 60 gig fatty is running out of space). I was going to pick it up and purchase it yesterday, but like always I procrastinated. Was going to pick it up this morning, but was too lazy to go out. Remembered hearing about the rumors about the PS3 price drop was going to be announced at Gamescom. Watched a little bit of them stream online then few moments later, I found out the price dropped 50 bucks. For once, my procrastination benefited me! XD

WHOOO HOOOO!!! i don’t have to spend another $400 for my inevitable 3rd PS3 or 4th depending how long Sony keeps the PS3 around and ill’ finally have room to install all my games and keep my save files for each one with a ton of room to spare. 80 GB’s is much too small but will use it until it dies or stops playing discs like my 40 gig lol

Who cares about the price drop, and who cares about which system is better i have both 360 and ps3, so you guys can keep playing the pissing contest..who cares, and for the people that “claim” that have multiple ps3’s your idiots

I’m rich!! And I don’t need more than one system for each platform. So people that “claim” they have 2-4 ps3’s your idiots for buying more than one, its different if one broke and you got a replacement

I just bought a new ps3 last Wednesday. I could of got the 320 gb instead. Oh well. I just wanted the new system not a new hard drive. i put my 580gb hard drive from my old ps3 in the new one. My feelings aren’t to bad but it would be nice to have that 50 bucks back. I swear this happens every time I buy something new

@ 173
well I had to reformat my hard drive after i put it in a new ps3. when you get your new ps3 just sign in with your account when you first set it up. to get all your games back go to the playstation store go to the top tab that says view downloads and redownload the games you had on your system. As for game saves i don’t know. Good luck hope that was helpful

@B_Easy69
Why don’t you just buy a new hard drive. Its a lot cheaper. 299 for a new 320gb ps3 or spend $54 and get over 500 gb. the link says its a 500 gb hard drive but when you take it out of the box it says its got like 580 gb or something. They aren’t that hard to swap either. You just need the new hard drive a screw driver something to back your game saves up on, and a jump drive to put a copy of the firmware on. the hardest part is getting the hard drive out of the cradle.

@171, your the idiot. many peopel havea second PS3 for other family members, and for having in a different room for bluray. Being able to copy your saves across and play your game in the room while the TV is being used, etc… for someone who claims to be rich, your not very bright. People also use it for folding.

I can say the “other’s” definitely lost my steam after locking the downloads to one console and only giving a family of five only 3 save slots per game without a good option to use separate memory cards or profiles. Thanks Sony for all you do. Makes me proud to own your systems. Can’t wait to see what happens with the P vita. (still sounds like something i would order for lunch!)

@183, you didnt expect a price cut? It was rumoured for months, and Ps3 has been 299 since 2009, i thought everyone knew a price cut was coming…. Ps3 is 5 years old and every couple of years price cuts are the norm.

I already own 2 PS3’s and have thought of a possible one for the bedroom. With this price drop maybe that is the best option.

It’s great to be a PS3 owner!!! We have been through a lot since the day’s of it being overpriced at $650. We got to give Sony some credit in turning the ship around when some thought it would be the end for PS.

The games are so endless that i envy people who can play most of the great games but for me with a family i have only time for a few like UC, GOW, Heavy Rain etc…amazing games… and of course always NHL series.

The price drop is a good move but a small one and a little late. And Jacks comments that the competition is losing steam is just plain stupid. lets face it PS3 has been in last place throughout this gen due entirely to Sony’s mismanagement. Take a lesson from others who’ve long since exited the console market like Sega, commodore, atari and a host of others. You can’t rest an your laurels nor can you take your customers for granted. At this point this price drop will be of most benefit to those who’s consoles have irrepairably failed. So you can’t stop there you (being everyone involved in Sony’s gaming division) must continue to regain our trust (that is US your customers). the sad and very incompetant status quo just doesn’t cut it and no amount of shill fanboy trolling will change that fact.

@190, agree, its sad that despite such a great lineup and features, PS3 lost so much market share and after 5 years is still in last……… Sonys poor marketing, pricing its console higher then everyone elses, and lacklustre online and poor launch gave xbox second place on a platter. All sony had to dow as release a good sensibly priced console and it would have dominated.

Another thing why does Sony insist on making the Playstation so poor to work on and code for? This has caused many issues for Sony this gen.

Good move , specially that Q4 2011 is filled with awesome releases .
But how would this affect the PSVITA ; being the same price as a PS3? i hope the VP of accounting will explaint that soon.
I also hope that this momentum will push and motivate developers to create more unique and AAA IPs . i love infamous and uncharted and killzone , but lately im seeing a pattern , im looking for something new and hardcore, maybe this price drop will attract more users hence make the system a great investment for developers.

Box also has cloud/online game saves and the rest of the things you mentioned aren’t online features like cross party chat, they do require an internet connection but they aren’t what we were discussing.

@153

You’re right, the box’s Dpad is one of the worst, if not the worst Dpad ever. What I said wasn’t my opinion, it’s a fact, the box’s controller feels better in your hands because of the shells design/shape and it’s also more comfortable to press and reach any button, especially the triggers, that also has to do with how certain buttons are in design and placement. I also like the DS3’s L1/R1 better than the box’s. I also like how the DS3 feels in your hand but not how easy and comfortable it is to use the triggers and to use the triggers while using the analog sticks for just two examples. I’m not a fanboy or a troll just in case you thought I was, I’m actually not a fanboy that’s why I speak the truth.

That’s true, the best controller overall is the DS2. Even though a lot of people think the DS3 is the same as the DS3, it’s not. Just some differences that I think are some of the reasons why the DS3 is not as good as the DS2 are how high the analog sticks are how the triggers are on the DS3 and how high the analog sticks are on the DS3 without making the proper changes to other parts on the controller to make the new height of the analog sticks feel better in the overall use of the controller.

In addition to a $199.99 SKU, Sony should also release a cheaper priced PS3 Move bundle. Some of the audience for Move still are and always will be casual gamers, especially if Sony and third party devs release more casual content for it, so a cheaper priced PS3 Move bundle is smart because most, if not all casual gamers don’t care about having a huge HDD, they just care about casual gaming, so a smaller HDD with a lower price is defiently smart.